Bale tie package



July 19, 1938. A. F. BRADLEY 2,124,503

BALE TIE PACKAGE Filed Sept. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l llllll Q'Zen!flradley.

July 19, 1938. D EY 2,124,503

(7/4; z adley. I

Patented July 19, 1938 a PATENT OFFICE BALE TIE PACKAGE Albert F.Bradley, Sterling, Ill., assignor to Northwestern Barb- Wire Company,Sterling, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 6, 1935,Serial No. 39,390

. 6 Claims.

This invention has to do with the packaging of elongated bundles oflengths of material such as wire, bale ties and the like. It has beenthe practice in the past to wrap bundles of this character by means of anumber of individual wire rings placed about the assembled ties or thelike at intervals which may vary with the size of the bundles and havebeen usually six to eight inches, more or less. This means of wrappingthe bundles has been found unsatisfactory, among other reasons becauseof the accidental mingling of at least some of the rings with thematerial to be baled, when the rings are severed as the bundle is beingunwrapped. Another reason for the dissatisfaction is that these springswould slip along the bundle, due among other things to engagement withother bundles, both before and during shipment, thus requiringredressing.

To remedy this situation at least in part, there has been a recenttendency to replace a majority of such rings by a single strand wrappedspirally lengthwise of the bundle. However, reliance in such improvedconstructions has been placed upon wire rings employed to secure burlapcover ings at the ends of the bundle in place.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to providean improved package of this character but in which the burlap anchoringrings are eliminated.

Also in the past the spiral wrapping strand has been fastened in placewith one or both ends secured under the burlap cover or covers. This hasslowed up the removal of the wrapping means since .it has been necessaryto remove one or more rings outside of the covers, then to remove thecovers and thereafter to cut away or otherwise unfasten the end or endsof the spiral strand.

It is accordingly another object of the invention to provide a packageof the character referred to wherein the. spiral strand is disposedsubstantially in its entirety exteriorlyof the covers.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a package of theclass referred to wherein a single wrapping element is employed forholding the bundle in shape and securing the end covers alone or with anidentification tag in place.

It is a further object of the invention. to-provide a package of ,thecharacter referred to wherein the ties or the like are held inassemblyby wrapping means including .a spiral wrapping strand having an endwrapped about an: end covering of the bundle and anchored to a pro- 5truding end of a tie outside of the cover.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved method ofmaking a spiral wrapped package of the class referred to.

' In accordance with the general features of the invention, applied tobale ties by way of example, 5 only, a sufficient number of ties areplaced together to form an elongated body of generally cy lindricalshape, the ends of the body being secured together by wire or othersuitable rings to hold the ties in assembly. A burlap or other suitablecovering is placed over and about the end portions of the assembly andfolded neatly in place. These covers are ultimately to be secured inplace by the same spiral wrapped strand. Accordingly, the covers shouldbe held in place until they are wrapped by the strand.

One end of the strand to be spiral wrapped about the assembly is passedthrough a hole near the periphery of an identification tag and is loopedabout one or more of the assembled ties in a manner to tightly anchorthe end of the strand. A portion of the strand at the extremity of theend is left free, and while the covering is held temporarily, the'strandis looped longitudinally about the cover in a manner toposition themajor part of the tag between the strand and the outer end of the cover.The strand is then returned and fastened to said extremity of thestrand, and then is coiled about the cover, after which it is spiraledalong and about the assembly 30 toward the other end of the bundle andcoiled securely about the cover at said other end. In the placing of thecover at said other end, at least one adjacent end of a tie is permittedto project through the end of the cover. When the spiraling of thestrand is "completed, the strand is fastened at its second end to theprotruding end of the tie, and then severed. The two fastened ends arethen bent fiat against the end 40 of the second cover. 'Ihereupon, inthe event the covers have been temporarily held in place by means otherthan by hand, said means is readily removed, and then the package iscomplete; a

In accordance with another form of the invention, the means forfastening the covers in place may be retained even after the spiralwrapping strand is secured.

In accordance with another form of the invention, one end of the spiralstrand may stop short of the second cover and be secured to one or moreties adjacent the second cover. 7

Further objects and advantages of the inven-' tion will appear as thedescription proceeds.

This invention (in preferred forms) is illus- Figure 5 is a diagrammaticview showing how a cover may be temporarily held in place-pending theapplication of the wrapping strand shown in Figures 1- and 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are views similar :to the left of I Figure l but ofmodified forms of the invention. Figure 8 and 9 arerviewssimilarto theright end of-Figure 1 but ofmodified constructions.

' Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the assembly of:elongated elements chosen for illustrative purposes is-made up of a. plu

v rality of' elongated elements-,such as. wirebale ties whose looped. orotherwise formed head ends are arranged atone end to-constitutethe 1 Theties- I) head or large end of the bundle. are initially arrangedin smallbundles of about twenty-five eachandzareboundzliy rings 2, after,

whichtheyare placed together to forrn-bundle assemblies to be wrapped inaccordance with .the-

' present'invention. When-thetiesare-thus as sembled, a larger ring3.'iszwrapped-about-the assembly at each end; thereby holding 'the tiesrtogether preparatory to j the wrapping of--thebundle in accordance withthe inventiona A preferably fiexible'cover such as one made of:

burlapas shownat 4 for thehead-end oi the bundle and 5 .for the smallend of-thesbundle is" placed over-.the respective end of ,thelbundleand,

if'necessary, folded in such amannerastoadequately cover. theendportions as shown-in Fig-, ure. land other figures, The coverszmaybetel-n1 porarily held. in foldedjarrangementby hand, one or.more'wires;v stringQ/orthe-like. form of I theinvention appearing inFigure 1,

string is; employed. This string,.-mayllcomprise apiece as. shownat fifor. the head ,endan'd]. for, the tail end;,each..of,.which maybe.tiedby aslip knot ,for readyrelease ,orby anyother.

. short portion ofthe strand adjacent the end 9 type of knot, as shownat 8, in Fi'gureI5; j In the event wire rings areemployed'foniemporarily holdingthe covers inplace; such rings,

as in' the caseof the rings 3;;are formed by:

placinggthem in encircling relation-to the covers. and twisting the endsof each Wire together, 7

One end 9of'a wrapping strand IO-jis passed through an opening ll in anidentification tag l'laof-pastebOzird} sheetmetal or the like,- bearingany desired identification suchas the name of the manufacturer-anddescription of the ma terial wrapped. Said. end 9 E: the" wrappingstrandis preferably passed'fromathe front toxthey backzof thetag and .isslipped. under andvlooped' about one' or more ties I adjacent thewfree:edge

l2- or the head cover- 4, as shown at The loop l3 may be closed. inrany;suitable manner as by avhalf 'hitch as shown-atJM,leaving-a free. 'Fromthe loop; 13,5andjjwhilegthercover of the head 'end of thefbundlei isiheld iniproper arrangement. temporarily as explained;- hereto fore, thestrand I0 is .passedllongitudinally out= ward','.that is, toward. thefrontend '15. of the cover: 4' and then 'is passed substantiallydiametrically across saidfront end so as tolposition In the:

the major part of the tag. la betweentne strand and said front end asshown in Figure 2.

The'strand It! is then returned in a half spiral 'turn soas to bebrought to a point l5 adjacent the loop I3, atwhich point the free end 9is 5- coiled one or more times about the strand as shown at I1. In thismanner the strand at the point l6 is firmly anchored. The strand from'the coils H= is then returned mthe direction of the front end l5 of thecover, as shown at 10 i8 and is coiled preferably a plurality of timestransversely about the cover as shown at 13,

Withusuffic-ient tightness to firmlysecure the cover V 4 in positionsothat the temporary holding means such as'the string- 6; wire or the likemay be discarded. Such tempor ary holding means need not be discarded assoon 'as the coiling of the strand :about the cover 4 is completed, butmay" if desired be removed at any time thereafter, as

'whenthe wrapping of'the bundle by the strand I 0 is 7 completedthroughout. From the portion coiled'at: I9 to holdthe cover dfiniplace,the.

strand I0 is spiraledtoward the-small end of:

the.:bundle,- passingabout, the uncovered. part of 'the' assembly? and.preferably a plurality of times about'the tail or-smallendl cover- -5as. shown at- 20, the cover 5' beingheld temporarily 'in-place priortowformation of the coils 2Il -therer about byhand, stringer/wire asexplained hereinabove. w 1

i In assembling the ties; I; no effortis made to: have their freeends;21 terminate-' flush, mas-- much as slightirregularity at ,such endsnWlHQ be'concealed by the face-22 of the. tail end cover.- 5. Forthe'purposesy-of the'present invention, itis desirable that at.leastoneIsuch tieend "pro ject, through. suchface: 22-- as shown: at2la. In the processor spiraling the,-strand 'lfl abouti the-bundle,relative rotaryrnovement'is effected between the spoolor; otherrsource'of strand-:ahdi 4 the-bundlaxso: that the strand, at the tEtiIlgHd 23after such coil :or'coils have been formed;andg

thereuponthe end portionzla and the coils 273w thereabout arebent-as aunitsubstantiallyflat against the face 22 ofthetail cover 5", as shown;in full lines in'Figures 1 and 3, terminating substantially'within theperipheral' envelope -ofethe package.

The temporary holding? string 1 or, other temporary holdingmeans may beseveredior otherwise-openedzand:pulled off Tree ofathew cover- 5, andthe--temporary holding meansata the, head endrofthe bundlesimilarly-wtreateif V leaving the assembled tiesv l1 packaged solely'by,

the coversa l and;5, the. strand III-sand 'the'identia fication tag HaBy severing the protruding ttiew end-- 2111 just, outside of the. facefl as; at 24,

before commencement of the coiling thereabout; 1 and by also severingtheloopzlsgthe entire wrap; ping, material comprising the covers I tand: .5, the strand I0 and the tag ll-mayrbe removed1 substantially as-a;unit,' much more expeditiously thanhas'heretoforebeen the case.

7 Insuch re-" moval, the'headcover 4 and/associated portions' of thestrandand' the tag II may be first released and then slipped along theassembled ties toward the'tail'end; slippingtthe tail end cover 5th'erewith ofi-the assembly. Thus-upon the two: severing operationsabovereferr'ed to, the V entire wra'pping struc'ture'may be'rem'oved bysubstantiallyasingle short operation.

Y With this structure, there are no parts such; as wire burlap securingrings or the like tO'b'e' -JIE covers 4 and 5 and the tag I la ispreferably tightly held so as to be pressed into interlocking relationwith the cover 4 as shown at 25 and with the tag I la as shown at 25aand similarly with the cover 5 as shown at 5a. Thus the strand will notbecome accidentally displaced from its illustrated relation to thecovers 4 and 5 and tag lld;

"In addition to affording means for identification of the character ofmaterial wrapped as well as the identity-of the manufacturer, or anyother insignia, the tag Ila serves as a reinforcing or protective meansfor the front end I5 of the cover 4 and the adjacent ends of the ties l.The bent over portions 21a and 23a at the face 22 of the tail cover 5,in addition to serving as a means for anchoring the tail end of thestrand, serves as a protective means for the adjacent ends of the ties land the'face 22 of the cover 5.

With this construction no parts protrude to any appreciable extentbeyond the outer lateral confines or envelope of the package, so thatthere is no likelihood of interlocking of adjacent bundles wrapped asexplained.

In the form illustrated in Figure 6, wire or like rings 26 may formpermanent parts ofthe package, serving to hold the cover 4 properlywrapped. The wrapping strand 21 in such event need not be coiled aboutthe body of the cover 4, but may be coiled merely at the inner end ofthe cover preparatory to its being spiraled longitudinally along theassembly of ties l.

In Figure 7 is shown a somewhat modified wrapping for the head end ofthe bundle. This arrangement is substantially identical with thatdescribed in connection with Figure 1, with the addition of a coverholding ring 26 which may be made of wire or other suitable material. Ifdesired in such construction, the number of coils of the strand l aboutthe cover 4 may be reduced in view of the presence of the ring 26.

In the modified tail end construction shown in Figure 8, rings 28 may beemployed as a permanent part of the package ,to firmly hold the tail endcover in place. In such event, the wrapping strand may be spiraled aboutthe cover 5 substantially only to the extent necessary to complete thewrapping and then coiled at 29 about the tie end 2la and bent downagainst the face 22 of the cover 5 as shown in Figure 3. With thisconstruction used in conjunction with the head end packaging of any ofFigures 1 6 and '7, for example, no part of the Wrapping strand isinteriorly disposed relative to the covers 4 and 5. Upon severing thering or rings 26, if present, the loop l3 or 30, as the case may be, andthe tie 2 la just before commencement of the coils 23a or 29,

removal of the entire wrapping material as a unit substantially in themanner previously described may be effected.

The tail end of the wrapping strand may terminate short of the cover 5as shown in Figure 8. In this form, the tail end of the strand 21a maybe cut short and the end 3| passed under and looped about one or moreties I and bent against the ties as shown at 32. The loop is preferablydrawn tight so as to be frictionally bound to the looped ties andthereby resists slipping relative thereto. The cover 5 in this form ofthe invention is held by metallic or other suitable rings 23 which, withthe tie assembling ring 3 inside of the cover. 5, frictionally holdthe-cover Wrapped about the tailend of the tie assembly.

' It will be seen from. the foregoing that the present inventionprovides a method of packaging an elongated bundle expeditiously so asto provide a neat structure having no protuberances likely to entanglewith adjacent packages and which is capable of ready dis-assembly fromthe assembled ties or other elongated packaged material.

Bale tie bundlesand other Wire or like elon' gated bundles may be ofdifferent sizes and weights. In a bundle of approximately eight feet ,inlength and weighing approximately .forty pounds, .a pitch ofapproximately three inches has been found satisfactory, although it is'to be understood that. other suitable pitches for the Wrappingstrand1helix or spiral, for bundles of the same and different sizes maybe readilyfare rived at.

The wrapping of the strand may be accom plished in any desiredway. Onemanner ofso doing involves the rotation of the bundle after theextremity of the stran'djadjacent the head cover has been coiled aboutthe body of the cover as explained above. This rotation may be effectedpreferably by mechanical means such'as a retary chuck holding the frontpart of the head cover and associated end of the bundle, while a sourceof strand material such as a spool is moved longitudinally of thebundle. Under such circumstances, the remainder of the bundle ispreferably supported in such a manner as not to interfere with thespiraling of the strand thereabout. Or, if desired, the bundle may bemoved longitudinally while the spool or other source of strand isrotated about the bundle. Instead of employing strand material on aspool, such material may be prevously cut to the desired length.

The package embodying the present invention will retain its form so asnot to require redressing or adjustment at any time, and is also compactso as to require a minimum of shipping space.

For the purpose of enhancing the appearance the strand being preferablymade of steel wire for g the purpose of strength.

The term bundle herein is to be understood as including in its scope anyassembly of elongated pieces and also a length of elongated material.

.As heretofore pointed out, any suitable temporary tieing means may beemployed for tem porarily holding the covers in place. For example, oneor more rubber bands may be employed for this purpose in connection witheach cover, such band or bands being allowed to remain on or beingremoved from the completed package, as desired.

The rings 2 are revealed in the form shown in Figure 6 but arepreferably concealed as in Figures 1 and 9. The cover 4 is-cut out inFigure 1 to show one of the rings 2.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range Withoutdeparting fromthe principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

a cover about one end of the bundle, apart of a the bundle protrudingthrough said cover, and

V gatedT'eIements; a cover over'oneyend or the a wrapping strand forholding the-cover in place, said strand being secured::about;: the.bundle and passing about the cover and having" an end' fastened:to said'protruding part; l:

2. A package compr sing an assembly ofielongated elements, a cover overone end of;the;as

sembly, at least one'of the-elements protruding 7 through and beyond thecover, and'a wrapping strand'secured about the assembly and passingalongsaid cover and fas'tenedtmthe protruding 13'. A"pack'age comprisinganass'embly of elonassembly; at least one of the elements IpIOtIlldingthrough and'being' bent beyond the cover, and a wrapping strand'securedabout the assembly and"passing 'alongsaidcover and fastened to thebentpart; said partterminating substan-z' tially within'the'peripheralenvelope vof the package.-

4. A' packagecomprising an assembly of elon- 'gated' elements, a1 coverupontone end=v ofsaid assembly, one:ofsaid elementsprojectingilongitudinally beyond one end ofsaidias'sembly; a

.' wrapping strand having'one. end anchored-to said elements and vWoundaround said? cover and saidassembly with "the free end 'anchored t'osaid projecting element.

'5.. A package comprising abundle of elongated elements, a cover overeach end of said bundle, a single strand of wire anchored totsaidelements adjacent-the inner end of one cover, saidlstrand then extendingacross the adjacent end of said bundle and returning upon-the oppositeside of the same and being secured-to the anchored end of said strandsaid strand thenbeing spiralled l around the adjacent cover;theeintermediate'por tion of the bundle and the cover at the oppositeend, such opposite end having one of said, elongated elements projectinglongitudinally beyond the bundle, and'said strand'beinganchored'to saidprojecting element 7 1 V 6. A zpackage comprising a-bundle :of elongatedelements, a cover uponeach endof-the bundle;- sa-id bundle, V and coversbeing held in assembled,

relation by, a; single strand of: wire wrapped around the-movers andspiralled around the i intermediate portion of said-bundle, one end of

